Forget the Melbourne Cup, how about pigeon racing?

While most punters are gearing up for the race that stops the nation, one group of avid sportsmen and women are getting their ducks in a row — or rather, pigeons — to take their competition to the skies.

In a business where bloodlines equal dollar signs, breeders are prepared to shell out the big bucks for a prize-winning pigeon.

And with the 2018 racing season just around the corner, and more than $150,000 up for grabs at the annual Victoria Cup, the rewards are hardly chicken feed.

"A pigeon is just a pigeon without the right characteristics," said Charlie Montebello, a breeder and president of the Werribee Homing Club.

"It's a lot like horse racing — you get the right bloodline and keep them in good form, that's the difference between winning and losing."